CUPPING THERAPY
What is Cupping and How Does It Work?
Cupping therapy is an ancient form of alternative medicine in which a therapist puts special cups on your skin for a few minutes to create suction. People get it for many purposes, including to help with pain, inflammation, blood flow, relaxation and well-being, and as a type of deep-tissue massage.
Suction from cupping draws fluid into the treated area. This suction force expands and breaks open tiny blood vessels (capillaries) under the skin. Your body treats the cupping area like an injury. It sends more blood to the area to stimulate the natural healing process. Some people theorize that cupping clears the pores and releases toxins
The cups may be made of:
- Glass
- Bamboo
- Earthenware – rubber pump
- Silicone – used to slide place to place like a massage.
Cupping therapy might be trendy now, but it’s not new. It dates back to ancient Egyptian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern cultures. With cupping a vacuum is created, in order to cause your skin to rise and redden as your blood vessels expand. The cup is generally left in place for up to 3-5 minutes.
Side Effects
Cupping is fairly safe, as long as you go to a trained health professional. But you could have these side effects in the area where the cups touch your skin: